It’s no secret that Ivy League colleges are competitive. But did you know their acceptance rates are as low as 3.4%? Knowing how to get into an Ivy League takes a lot of hard work and a compelling admissions strategy. But even if you know what college admissions officers look for in an applicant, Ivy Leagues can only admit a small fraction of students.
But what does this mean exactly? Well, let’s take a quick look at some numbers. This year, Harvard received 56,937 applications, and UPenn received over 59,000 applications. The bottom line? Chances of admission to an Ivy League this year ranged from 3.4% to approximately 8%.
In this article, we will share each Ivy League’s overall acceptance rate, as well as their Early Decision (ED) acceptance rate, total applications received, and their undergraduate population. So if you’re interested in learning more about how many Ivy Leagues there are, what Ivy Day is, the easiest Ivy League to get into, and other Ivy League admissions statistics, you’ve come to the right place!
Ivy Day 2023
To start, what is Ivy Day? Ivy Day is the day when all eight Ivy Leagues — Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale — announce their admissions decisions for regular decision applicants. So when is Ivy League decision day? This year, Ivy Day was March 30th, and decisions were released at 7 pm EST, which means that the Ivy Day results are in!
2023 Ivy League acceptance rates
Interested in what Ivy League has the highest acceptance rate? Or the lowest? On March 30th, 2023 (Ivy Day), the eight Ivy Leagues released their acceptance rates for the Class of 2027. In the table below, you will find the acceptance rates for the Class of 2027 — as well as Ivy League acceptance rates for 2022. This is the second year Princeton has chosen not to release official statistics; therefore, the figures listed are approximate.
| Name of College | 2023 Acceptance Rate | 2022 Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Brown | 5.1% | 5.0% |
| Columbia | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| Cornell | ~8% | 7.3% |
| Dartmouth | 6% | 6.2% |
| Harvard | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| Princeton | ~4% | ~4% |
| UPenn | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Yale | 4.4% | 4.5% |
2023 Ivy League early decision statistics
The table below lists the Early Decision (ED) and Single Choice Early Action (SCEA) statistics for the Ivy Leagues’ Class of 2027. It’s worth noting that the Ivy League with the lowest acceptance rate for both Early Decision and Regular Decision is Harvard University. Conversely, the Ivy League schools with the highest acceptance rates are Brown, Dartmouth, and Cornell.
| Name of College | 2023 Early Decision Acceptance Rate | 2022 Early Decision Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Brown | 13% | 15% |
| Columbia | 11.3% | 10% |
| Cornell | TBA | Not reported |
| Dartmouth | 19% | 20% |
| Harvard | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Princeton | TBA | 16% |
| UPenn | TBA | Not reported |
| Yale | 10% | 11% |
Source: https://www.collegetransitions.com/blog/2027-ivy-league-acceptance-rates/
If you’re curious about the advantages of Early Action and Early Decision, refer to our article on the topic here.
How many applications did each Ivy League receive (2023)?
Curious how many students applied to each Ivy League in 2023? In the table below, we list the total number of applicants for the 2023 admissions cycle. We also include the undergraduate population for each of the eight Ivy Leagues.
| Name of College | Number of Applicants (2023) | Undergraduate Population |
|---|---|---|
| Brown | 51,302 | 7,125 |
| Columbia | 57,129 | 9,739 |
| Cornell | Not reported | 15,735 |
| Dartmouth | 28,841 | 4,000+ |
| Harvard | 56,937 | 7,153 |
| Princeton | Not reported | 7,153 |
| UPenn | 59,000+ | 9,962 |
| Yale | 52,250 | 6,536 |
How many applications did each Ivy League receive (2023)?
One of the reasons why Ivy League schools are becoming even more selective isn’t necessarily because they have higher expectations. Rather, with the rise of test-optional admissions, students with solid grades but low test scores are more likely to apply to Ivy Leagues than they would have been previously. This means that the applicant pool has increased significantly, thus driving down acceptance rates.
With a surge in overall applications, Ivy League colleges are receiving more Early Decision applications. They are also lengthening their waitlists as they adjust to their new numbers. But what are some of the other College Admissions Trends for 2023 to keep an eye out for?
Well, it’s worth noting that the Supreme Court is pursuing two cases concerning Affirmative Action. Although the ruling has still not been decided, the country is anxious to answer the question: How Will the Supreme Court Cases Affect College Admissions? You’ll also want to keep your eye out for how ChatGPT will affect college admissions standards, especially with respect to the college essay.
Key takeaways and moving forward
Now that Ivy Day has come and gone, many students will have to grapple with reasons why college applications may be rejected. Other students will have to figure out what to do if they’ve been waitlisted. But for those students who didn’t gain a spot at an Ivy League this year, don’t worry; your other college letters are not far behind.
And if you still have your heart set on attending an Ivy League, you may want to consider taking a gap year and reapplying next year or familiarizing yourself with the transfer process. In the meantime, if you feel like you could benefit from working with a professional college counselor, reach out to learn more about our services.
